Creamy, tangy and tender, these mayo marinated grilled chicken breasts will have you stocking up on this beloved condiment.
Mayonnaise may just be the unofficial condiment of the South. Everyone has their preferred brand, one that’s creamier, tangier or richer than the others. But mayo’s skills extend far beyond just moistening sandwich bread – it makes for a fantastic marinade for chicken.
More than anything, the fat content in the mayo translates to an epic brown crust when introduced to the grill, so what are you waiting for? I serve this chicken with a generous drizzle of green goddess sauce which is both bright and herby while being rich and creamy.
And while the marinade will put you ahead of the moist game, there’s a very important piece of equipment you’re gonna need to fight off the evils of dry chicken: a great meat thermometer. Pulling your chicken at precisely 163f means it’ll creep up enough in temperature to be food safe, but definitely will not be overcooked. I use the Thermapen but can also recommend the less expensive Thermopop.
Tender and Juicy Mayo-Marinated Grilled Chicken Breast
Ingredients
6 skinless chicken breasts
2 cups mayonnaise
1/3 cup BBQ sauce
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Trim chicken breasts from any excess fat or gristle.
- In a non-reactive bowl, combine mayo, BBQ sauce, garlic and salt. Stir well to combine. You can either marinade the chicken in this bowl if large enough or transfer chicken and marinade to a large zip top bag. Place into the fridge for 2-4 hours.
- Heat a grill for two zone cooking. Remove the chicken from the marinade but do not try to wipe or remove it, you want as much mayo on the surface as possible.
- Lay the chicken over the direct heat, on the hot side of the grill, and cook until color develops but does not burn, about 2-3 minutes. Be careful that the mayo does not flare and burn. Turn the chicken and cook a further 2-3 minutes on the other side until a deep golden color has developed.
- Move the chicken to the cool side of the grill, to allow it to continue cooking to safe temperature without burning. Finish the remainder of the cook on the cool side of the grill, turning occasionally. When the chicken reads 163-165f at the thickest part of the breast, its ready to serve.
